Despite reports that he would take a leave of absence, Cleveland Browns director of player personnel Jon Sandusky is expected to remain with the team. Sandusky is the son of former Penn State defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky who was charged in a child sex abuse scandal.
The elder Sandusky’s actions have rocked the very foundation of Penn State University as both president Graham Spanier and legendary head football coach Joe Paterno have been fired. If the allegations are indeed true, Sandusky may indeed be the biggest villain in the history of sports.
Regardless of what Jerry Sandusky did, his son should not be held accountable. While some may believe Jon Sandusky had knowledge of his father’s actions, there is absolutely no evidence to support that, so Jon should be considered 100 percent innocent at this point.
There are a lot of people in this world who have family members that have done despicable things. They should not be blackballed because of what their relatives did, though. The same can be said for Jon Sandusky as he should be judged solely on his talent evaluating skills and integrity as an individual.
It is incredibly unfortunate that Jon is a victim of circumstance in this case, and his father’s transgressions could very well affect the way others view him. While it is unfair, Jerry Sandusky’s actions have the potential to cost his son in the long run.
Although taking a leave of absence wouldn’t be the worst thing for Jon Sandusky, he is probably better off continuing his work with the Browns as a means of trying to take his mind off what his father has done.
Jerry Sandusky not only victimized an untold number of young children, but he has inadvertently made his family victims as well. Jon and the rest of the Sandusky family will likely never be looked upon the same way again because of Jerry Sandusky’s acts.
Now, instead of being known as a good talent evaluator, Jon Sandusky will be known as the son of a monster. All Jon can do at this point is continue to carry out his duties, do the best job that he can and force people to look past his family ties.
It certainly won’t be easy, but Jon Sandusky has been afforded a great opportunity in the NFL, and he cannot let it go to waste. He will have to work that much harder than anyone else to change public perception, but as long as he continues to carry himself well, then perhaps he can return to normalcy.
